A Massachusetts native was among the three defense contractors who were killed this weekend in a bombing in Afghanistan.
The 57-year-old husband and father of two adult children lived in Georgia.
“None of us wanted it to happen, but we all knew there was a risk and he was willing to take that risk,” Luann Varney, McEvoy's sister said.
McEvoy was voted Most Likely to Succeed at North Brookfield High where he played basketball, baseball and soccer. His mother says her son always knew he’d be heading to West Point.
“He used to play with toy soldiers from the time he was a little boy,” Janice Proctor said.
Dave Hanson, a farmer and high school classmate, says McEvoy was always willing to help a friend- even volunteering to milk cows.
“He wasn’t a real cow milker- but he’d help, he’d pretend, he’d pretend,” Hanson explained.
And despite being class president, McEvoy wasn’t above pulling a prank, even helping to swipe a skeleton from the chemistry lab for a movie his friends were making.
“When the chemistry teacher was watching the movie with us he said 'gee, I don't remember giving you guys the skeleton,' so we did get caught but we didn’t really get in trouble,” Hanson said.
After high school and a nearly-three decade career in the military, the retired Colonel went to work for a private military contractor. He led the mentor and advisor program for the Afghan National Army and National Police.
In a statement about the three contractors killed, the company said “These men were true patriots. They dedicated their lives to service and were making a difference on behalf of their country.”
“I can’t tell you how many times he said 'I love my job, I love what I do,' because I would implore him to stay home, don’t go back,” Proctor said.
McEvoy’s body arrives at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware Wednesday. His family will be there. There will be a private service in Massachusetts but he’ll be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
